Music Therapy May Improve Schizophrenia Symptoms

When combined with standard care, music therapy may improve the mental state and quality of life of patients with schizophrenia, according to a recent systematic review.

The reviewers searched the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group’s Trials Study-Based Register for all randomized controlled trials published from December 2010 through January 15, 2015 that compared music therapy with standard care, placebo therapy, or no treatment. A total of 18 trials with 1215 participants were included in the analysis.
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Music therapy showed a positive effect on global state compared with standard care, and had positive effects on negative symptoms, which was assessed using the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms. In addition, general mental state endpoint scores, determined using the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale, and the average endpoint scores on the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale were better for patients who received music therapy.

While the medium-term average endpoint scores assessed with the Global Assessment of Functioning showed no effect on general functioning, music therapy was found to have positive effects on both social functioning and quality of life.

Evidence for the review was of low or moderate quality, and there was no data available on adverse effects, service use or engagement, or cost.

“Music therapy seems to help people with schizophrenia but further research is needed to confirm the positive effects found in this review,” the researchers concluded. “This research should especially address the long-term effects of music therapy, the quality of music therapy provided and measure outcomes relevant to music therapy.”

—Melissa Weiss

Reference:

Geretsegger M, Mössler KA, Bieleninik L, Chen XJ, Heldal TO, and Gold C. Music therapy for people with schizophrenia and schizophrenia-like disorders [published May 26, 2017]. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD004025.pub4.